natural « Dr. Susan Mitchell

April 14, 2010

Got Milk? Is it Raw or Pasteurized? Part 2

Filed under: Health and Prevention,Healthy Food,Uncategorized — Tags: bacteria, children, dietitian, Dr. Susan Mitchell, eco-friendly, food, immunity, locally grown, milk, natural, nutrition, nutritionist, pasteurization, pasteurized milk, raw milk, registered dietitian — admin @ 11:59 am

With the trend towards locally grown, eco-friendly, natural food, raw milk is touted as being more healthful, better tasting and nutritious than pasteurized milk…but is it? Proponents of raw milk say it’s safe to drink…but should you drink it and give it to your family

Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. It’s milk from any hoofed animal including cows, sheep or goats. Because of the potential for raw milk to contain a wide variety of bacteria including such suspects as:

Salmonella
E. coli
Listeria
M. tuberculosis
Campylobacter
Brucella

Public health officials for decades have expressed concern over drinking raw milk. Symptoms of illness range from:

vomiting
diarrhea
abdominal pain
fever, headache and body aches

However, people with weakened immune systems from HIV or autoimmune diseases or infants, young children, pregnant women and the elderly are especially sensitive and illness from raw milk can be very serious and result in death.

Joining me on the podcast to answer more questions about the raw milk movement is Dr. Ronald Schmidt, Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida. Dr. Schmidt has authored more than 100 scientific publications and presentations in dairy/food science technology, food safety, and microbiology, and is co-editor of the book, Food Safety Handbook.

Dr. Schmidt delves into these questions that you have asked?

First, I have to ask this same question that I asked Joe Wright, the dairy farmer who was our guest last week. Do you drink raw milk or pasteurized milk and why?
Proponents of raw milk say it is more nutritious with additional enzymes and healthy bacteria that are destroyed by pasteurization. Is one milk more nutritious than the other?
Does raw milk contain antimicrobial components making pasteurization unnecessary? What effect does pasteurization have on milk?
Dr. Schmidt, advocates of raw milk point to some studies where children drinking raw milk have less allergies, asthma and eczema. Where does the scientific community come out on this debate on drinking raw milk and giving it to children?
What about cheese made from raw milk? Is it safe? I see dairies selling it at farmers’ markets.
Do you think raw milk will become legal in Florida and other states?

What’s your opinion on raw milk? Post your comment on my blog and I’ll share some of them on an upcoming podcast.

Listen to this week’s podcast

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March 24, 2010

Opt for Organic without a Budget Bust

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: budget, dietitian, dirty dozen, Dr. Susan Mitchell, food, fruit, health, natural, nutrition, nutritionist, organic, pesticides, registered dietitian, residue, Target, The Environmental Working Group, vegetables — admin @ 12:25 pm

Do you buy organic items? Would you like to buy organic if you thought the price wouldn’t bust your budget? I would. Do you think pesticide levels in all produce are the same? Actually they’re not. Even when you wash fruit and vegetables, some still have higher levels of pesticides than others. The Environmental Working Group labeled these as the ‘dirty dozen’…the fruit and vegetables where it’s smart to buy organic. These include apples, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, bell peppers, celery, potatoes and spinach.

You can then save money and buy conventional produce that has very low or no pesticide residue. Reach for bananas, pineapples, kiwi and mango as well as broccoli, cauliflower, corn, peas, onions and asparagus. Remember that all products labeled organic must go through the same process to become certified. How does this save you money? You can opt for the less expensive store brand. For example, I consult as Target’s nutrition and health expert. The Archer Farms premium brand, which is exclusive to Target, has over 100 organic products in its line including organic waffles and organic maple syrup at affordable prices. Affordable is the key word here and that’s why shopping for the store brands is a savvy move.

This week, Margit Ragland, Health Director at Family Circle joins me on my podcast with more idea to go organic on a budget. You will find the full article in the April 17th issue but a few of her noteworthy tips include:
Buy a share in a community-supported agriculture program (CSA). You pay part of a local farm’s operating expenses, and in return you receive a box of fruits and vegetables weekly for the duration of the growing season, which usually lasts 24 to 26 weeks. Don’t forget to ask if your CSA is certified organic. Checkout: localharvest.org.
Join a food co-op. All you have to do is sign up and pay modest dues, although some co-ops require volunteering. Go to coopdirectory.org/

Other sites for organic on a budget ideas: unitedbuyingclubs.com, mambosprouts.com and Amazon. I would love to know how you buy organic on a budget so email me your suggestions.

Each month Margit shares a recipe from the Family Circle kitchens and this month it’s a 20-minute Three-Bean Veggie Chili. You can find the recipe at the WDBO.com Nutrition & Health Center.

Listen to this week’s podcast

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